Save Waddow Hall
The news that Waddow Hall is to be put up for sale has shocked and saddened Girlguiding volunteers and the wider community, who have launched a bid to save it. Photography: Robin Lyndon
A sustained coordinated campaign has been launched in a bid to save historic Waddow Hall, which has been used by Girl Guides worldwide and the local community for almost a century.
The Girlguiding Association acquired the Grade II listed hall, which is set in 170 acres, back in 1927 for just £9,000.
Trustee Janet Taylor explains: “It was acquired very cheaply in hard economic times – it was a very poor period in our history. But the Girlguiding commissioners were looking for a base in the north of England so this was a great opportunity to make Waddow part of Girlguiding, which is the biggest voluntary female organisation in the world.
“Waddow opened as a Girlguiding centre on 1st October 1927 and we were coming up to 100 years celebrating Girlguiding at Waddow. But earlier this year the decision was made by Girlguiding to sell.
“It’s a very special place where a lot of Guides from the local vicinity, throughout the UK and internationally have had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We have camp sites, a zip wire, tree climbs, abseiling and kayaking – adventures happen here, and they leave believing anything is possible. It is positive for physical health and mental wellbeing and we are very disappointed that Girlguiding hasn’t fully recognised that.
“All our volunteers received news of the sale with anger and disbelief. So, we asked ourselves, ‘Where do we go from here?’ We are Guiders, leading is what we are trained to do so we have developed a strategy and intend to buy it.”
Janet, who is one of three long-term volunteers and trustees of Waddow Hall Trust along with Lynne Warner and Lynn Smith, adds: “We all know Waddow very well, but we are not approaching this on sentimental grounds. We want to move towards a community-based board of trustees and, given the opportunity, extend Waddow Hall’s audience, which we agree is totally viable.”
Those involved in the bid to save Waddow have submitted an ‘expression of interest’ to the vendors and have devised a fund-raising strategy to cover all types of contributions: “While we can raise money through the local community, by ‘buying a brick’ and sponsoring a room and through crowdfunding pledges, these are on a relatively small scale and we know we’re not going to raise enough in this way. What we really need is a benefactor or a number of benefactors, who have the vision to see they will be carrying on a far-reaching legacy, which is a unique opportunity.”
As well as being used by Girlguiding, the 60-bed hall has been used for adventure pursuits and learning by 120 North West schools, for families and for conferencing and training – in the extensive grounds are numerous camp sites, a new-build adventure house and self-catered cottage accommodation.
“There is so much potential,” says Janet. “The hall is in good repair. The Friends of Waddow spent £42,000 on upgrading the top floor rooms relatively recently thanks to a legacy left to us. How would this make them and their family feel – it was their legacy left with the intention of supporting Waddow Hall and Girlguiding.”
Waddow Hall is one of five activity centres nationwide, that the Girlguiding Association has decided to sell. On the Girlguiding website it states: “We continue to be open to options on the sale of the properties and we have been approached by several interested parties, including members.
“Funds from the sale of the activity centres will be put into a designated investment fund to support Girlguiding activities, adventure for girls and for a range of purposes to invest in the future of Girlguiding.”
Janet concludes: “What the Girlguiding hasn’t given us is time. All we can do is hope that we can raise the money to keep Waddow Hall and develop it as a hub of heritage, culture and education. A quote from JK Rowling comes to mind, ‘Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect’.”
waddowhalltrust@gmail.com
waddowhalltrust.co.uk
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